Alcoholic Beverage Dispensing Appliance With Gas Connection

ABSTRACT

An alcohol beverage dispensing appliance has a container housed in the appliance and a tap adapter mounted to the container for dispensing beverage from the container. The tap adapter has a first gas connector and a gas line adapted for connection with the container for charging the container with pressurized gas to facilitate beverage dispensing. The tap adapter has at least one gas connecting locating member. The appliance has a gas supply line housed in the container that has a second gas connector adapted for sealing engagement with the first gas connector. The appliance has a guideway for locating the second gas connector that is adapted for receiving the gas connecting locating member of the tap adapter in sliding and guiding relation to permit movement of the first gas connector into sealing relation with the second gas connector. The appliance has a locking member moveable in the guideway between an unlocked position permitting movement of the locating member along the guideway and a locked position engaging the locating member to prevent reversing movement of the gas connecting locating member out of the guideway.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an alcohol beverage dispensingappliance and, in particular, relates to a gas connection to a tapadapter mounted within the appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to contain alcohol, such as wine, in bags contained in acardboard type container where the wine feeds by gravity through a shutoff tap mounted outside the container. Further, it is known to fill abag with beer in a keg housed in a beverage dispensing appliance. In thecase of a beer keg, gas pressure is applied to the bag to dispense thebeer from the bag and out of the keg. Further, the bag is inserted intothe keg container prior to the beer being filled into the bag through avalve assembly. A tap adapter is connected to the keg for dispensing thebeer from the keg. The tap adapter is connected to a valve assembly thatpermits dispensing of the beverage and gas pressurization of the bagwithin the container. Because the keg and the tap adapter are removableparts from the appliance, it is necessary to provide a gas connectionfrom the appliance to the tap adapter that may be readily connected anddisconnected by a consumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gas connection between an alcoholbeverage dispensing appliance and a tap adapter which may be connectedand disconnected by a consumer.

The alcohol beverage dispensing appliance has a beverage containerhoused in the appliance. Preferably this beverage container is a beerkeg. A tap adapter is mounted to the container for dispensing thebeverage from the container. The tap adapter has a first gas connectorand a gas line adapted for connection with the container for chargingthe container with pressurized gas to facilitate beverage dispensing.The tap adapter has at least one gas connecting locating member. Theappliance includes a gas supply line housed in the container having asecond gas connector adapted for sealing engagement with the first gasconnector. The appliance has a guideway for locating the second gasconnector therein and adapted for receiving the gas connecting locatingmember of the tap adapter in sliding in guiding relationship therewithto permit movement of the first gas connector into sealing relation withthe second gas connector. The appliance further includes a lockingmember moveable in the guideway between an unlocked position permittingmovement of the locating member along the guideway and a locked positionengaging the locating member to prevent reversing movement of thelocating member out of the guideway.

Preferably the locking member includes a lever arm pivotally attached tothe appliance adjacent the guideway. The lever arm supports a firstlocking finger extending into the guideway and moveable between theunlocked position and the locked position to engage the locating member.Further, the lever has a second finger. As the lever is moved into anunlocked position, the second finger rotates to push the gas connectinglocating member rearwardly out of the guideway and thereby disconnectthe first and second gas connectors.

Preferably, the lever is in a depressed position extending adjacent tothe tap adapter when in the locked position. Preferably, the lever inthe depressed position permits the appliance doors to close therebyconfirming to the consumer that the air connection has been properlymade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the presentinvention reference may be had to the accompanying diagrammatic drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a home beer dispensing appliance inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the home beer dispensing appliance;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the tap adapter mounted to the keginside the dispensing appliance;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the gas connection to the tap adapter ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the locking member of the presentinvention in an unlocked position; and,

FIG. 6 is a side view of the locking member of the present invention inthe locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a home beer dispensingappliance 10. The dispensing appliance 10 is primarily intended for usein domestic kitchens but may also be used in utility rooms, garages,domestic bars, caravans etc. While the preferred embodiment relates todispensing beer, alternatively carbonated solutions or other alcoholbeverages may be dispensed by appliance 10.

The home beer dispensing appliance 10 has a front wall 12 and adispensing tap 14 protruding forward of the front wall 12. A drip tray16 also protrudes forward of the front wall 12 and is adapted to supportan open glass container 18 below the dispensing tap 14. The home beerdispensing appliance 10 further has a base 21 adapted to rest on acounter top. The front wall 12 is an extension of two pivoting sidewalls or doors 20 which may be moved between closed and open positionsto allow the keg container 22 (see FIG. 2 in broken lines) to beinserted into the housing 17 of the home beer dispensing appliance 10.

The housing 17 of the home beer dispensing appliance 10 further includesa top wall 24 and a rear wall 26. The rear wall 26 has a grill 30 thatpermits for air circulation within the home beer dispensing appliance10. An electrical cord 32 extends through the rear wall 26 of theappliance 10 to provide a connection into a main electrical supply tosupply electrical power to the electrical components housed within theappliance 10. Alternatively, a 12 Volt DC supply input may be used.

The dispensing appliance 10 has a cooling system 34 located behind andbelow keg 22 that is adapted to cool beer in keg 22 when keg 22 isplaced into the dispensing appliance 10.

The appliance 10 further has an air pump 36 which is utilized to supplya pressurized gas, preferably air, to the keg container 22.

Referring to FIG. 3, the appliance 10 has a tap adapter 38. The tapadapter 38 carries the tap 14 which permits beverage to be dispensedthrough tube 40 and out the spout 42. Tube 40 extends through theinternal part of tap adapter 38 for connection with valve system 44. Thevalve system 44 includes a central valve 46 which is attached through toa spear 48. Spear 48 extends into the bag 50 located in the kegcontainer 22. The spear 48 extends toward the bottom of the container 22and the bag so as to draw beverage from the bottom portion (not shown)of the bag 50 out through the central valve 46 along tube 40 and outspout 42 when tap 14 is in the open position.

Between the bag 50 and the interior wall of the keg container 22 is anair space 52. Air space 52 is typically maintained under air pressure soas to place pressure on the bag 50 to push the beverage up the spear 48and out through the tap adapter 38. Air pressure is introduced into theair space 52 through air valve 54 of valve system 44. The tap adapter 38has a gas or air line 56 which is connected to an appliance gas line 58.Gas line 58 is connected to air pump 36 (FIG. 2).

The adapter 38 is connected to the valve system 44 of the container 22and to the appliance air line supply at 58 so as to permit the doors 20of the appliance 10 to be closed as shown in FIG. 3. The appliance 10further includes a lever 60 (see FIGS. 4 through 6) which is depressedadjacent the tap adapter 38 to permit the doors 20 to be closed.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the component parts are shown for making theair connection between the air line supply 56 of the adapter 38 and theair supply line 58 of the appliance 10. In FIG. 4, an exploded view ofthe air line connection component parts is shown with the connection nothaving been made. FIG. 5 shows a side elevational view of the air lineconnection component parts without the adapter 38 having been connectedto the air line supply, 58 of the appliance 10. FIG. 6 shows a sideelevational view of the air line connection component parts wherein theadapter 38 has been connected with the air line supply 58 of theappliance 10.

The appliance 10 includes a guideway 64 shown as a generally U-shapedbracket 66 in FIG. 4 having two U-shaped tracks 68 a and 68 b. The track68 b shown in broken lines is similar to track 68 a shown in solid viewexcept for the opening 70 shown in track 68 a is not present in track 68b. The tracks 68 a and 68 b of the guideway 64 include a first entrytrack portion 72 which comprises two opposing walls 74 and 76 having arelatively constant spaced apart distance. The lower wall 76 divergesdownwardly at curved wall 78 as lower wall 76 extends inwardly. Thiscurved wall 78 extends to a stop 80 which protrudes into the track andthen is followed downstream by a curving wall 82. Curved walls 78 and 82provide sliding, guiding, and bearing surfaces for the lever 60.

The appliance air supply line 58 terminates in a female connectingmember 86. Female connecting member 86 has a shut off valve (not shown)that closes air supply line 58 when there is no connection to the femaleconnecting member 86. The connecting member 86 is adapted to receivemale connecting member 88 of the adapter 38. The male connecting member88 matingly and sealingly engages with the female connecting member 86to open the shut off valve and permit air flow through the adapter 38.The adapter 38 further has a cross bar gas connecting locating member 90which has two opposing end portions 92 and 94 that are adapted to bereceived in the tracks 68 a and 68 b, respectively of the applianceguideway 64.

Lever arm 60 has a locking member 96 in the form of a first lockingfinger 98 and a second finger 100. The locking fingers 98 and 100 areadapted to pass through the opening 70 in the bracket 66. Fingers 98 and100 slide respectively over curved walls 78 and 82. The lever arm 60 ismounted by shaft 102 to the bracket 64 so as to be rotatable andpivotable about pivot the point of the shaft 102. In FIG. 5, the lever60 is shown in a raised open position and in FIG. 6 the lever 60 isshown in a depressed position which is also the locking position.

During the connection of the male gas connector 88 into the female gasconnector 86, the adapter 38 is moved so that the locating member 90extends into the tracks 68 a and 68 b and follows track 68 asubstantially as shown by the broken line versions of locating member 90shown in FIG. 5. Eventually, as the locating member 90 is moved inwardlyalong the guideway 64, the locating member 90 passes through the spacebetween the locking finger 98 and the second finger 90 of the lever 60.At this time, the lever 60 can be depressed into the position shown inFIG. 6 and the locking finger 98 comes into engagement with the lockingmember 90. This also results in the finger 100 being rotated along thecurved guide wall 82 of the guideway 64 to receive a portion of thelocating member 90. The rotation of the lever 90 in the downwardposition to lock the locating member 90 in place is limited by stop 80engaging locking finger 98. Further, movement of locking finger 98follows along a guide surface 110 of the curved wall 78. During thislocking of the locating member 90 in place, the connector 88 matinglyengages with connector 86 thereby providing an air supply from air line58 of the appliance 10 to air line 56 of the adapter 38. An O-ring seal112 (FIG. 4) on the connector 88 is adapted to sealingly engage theconnectors 86 and 88.

To disconnect the connectors 86 and 88, lever arm 60 is raised by theconsumer into the position shown in FIG. 5. As a result, the fingermember 100 of the lever 60 is rotated along guide surface 82 in acounter clockwise direction until it comes into contact with stop member80. Finger member 100 effectively pushes the locating member or locatingbar 90 out of the locked position and allows the locating bar 90 to bemoved backwards or in a reverse direction along the track 68 a.

What is claimed is:
 1. An alcohol beverage dispensing appliancecomprising: a beverage container housed in the appliance; a tap adapterfor mounting to the container for dispensing the beverage from thecontainer, the tap adapter having a first gas connector and a gas lineadapted for connection with the container for charging the containerwith pressurized gas to facilitate beverage dispensing, and the tapadapter having at least one gas connecting locating member; a gas supplyline housed in the container having a second gas connector adapted forsealing engagement with the first gas connector; a guideway for locatingthe second gas connector therein and adapted for receiving the gasconnecting locating member of the tap adapter in sliding and guidingrelation to permit movement of the first gas connector into sealingrelation with the second gas connector; and, a locking member moveablein the guideway between an unlocked position permitting movement of thegas connecting locating member along the guideway and a locked positionengaging the gas connecting locating member preventing reversingmovement of the gas connecting locating member out of the guideway. 2.The appliance of claim 1 wherein the first gas connector is a maleconnector and the second gas connector is a female connector and thefirst and second gas connectors matingly sealingly engage.
 3. Theappliance of claim 1 wherein the locking member includes a lever armpivotally attached to the appliance adjacent the guideway, the lever armsupporting a first locking finger extending into the guideway andmoveable between the unlocked position and the locked position to engagethe gas connecting locating member.
 4. The appliance of claim 3 whereinthe lever arm further includes a second finger rotatable in theguideway, the second finger being spaced from the first locking fingerwhereby the gas connecting locating member passes between the first andsecond fingers and is locked therebetween as the first and secondfingers are rotated in the guideway.
 5. The appliance of claim 1 whereinthe guideway includes a stop limiting rotation of the first lockingfinger as the first locating finger is moved into the locked positionand limiting rotation of the second finger as the second finger is movedinto the unlocked position.
 6. The appliance of claim 3 furtherincluding appliance doors that are closeable once the lever arm is movedinto the locked position.
 7. The appliance of claim 1 wherein theguideway comprises a pair of spaced apart tracks and the gas connectinglocating member comprises a bar having opposing end portions moveablealong the spaced apart tracks.
 8. The appliance of claim 1 wherein thesecond gas connector is pivotally mounted in the guideway.
 9. Theappliance of claim 4 wherein the lever arm is depressed towards the tapadapter to move the first locking finger into the locked position andthe lever arm is raised to move the second finger against the gasconnecting locating member to disconnect the first gas connector fromthe second gas connector.